The Keybearers' Legacy
by justplainrii
Summary: Barely settled at home, Sora and his friends are presented with a new, deadlier enemy.  And who should disappear but Riku?  Guided by a former Keybearer, Sora and Kairi must find Riku and defeat the mysterious Mentor, before it's too late.
1. Grounded 'til you Die

Chapter 1

_Mister, you are grounded... until you die _ ― Franny Robinson; Mother and Trainer of Frogs; Todayland 

"OW! AHH, MY BACK!"

No sooner had Kairi taken back the small, star-shaped charm in Sora's hand, Riku toppled over and squirmed a little in pain. Kairi, needless to say, was quite astonished.

"Riku, what's the matter?" she said, as Mickey jumped back a little in shock.

"Back... hurts... gaaah!" Riku said, bringing himself upright again, but not standing.

"Sora, what happened to him?" Mickey asked, and Sora winced a little as the thrill of their recent reunion was replaced by the stomach-crunching memory of events that had happened mere hours before.

"Well... Riku jumped in front of Xemnas and kinda saved my life back at the castle," he reported, scratching the back of his head. "I kinda forgot about that."

"Oh, have you?" Riku said sharply, glaring in his direction. "I was leaning on your

shoulder almost the entire time after."

"Yeah, well... I forgot!" Sora replied, as Kairi crossed her arms and sighed worriedly. This was the last thing they wanted. "You were walking and swimming just fine a minute ago!"

"That was adrenaline!" Riku retorted, before wincing again in pain. Mickey looked to his two servants for help, and Goofy scratched his head.

"Shouldn't we do somethin'?" he said. "Maybe get 'im back to th'mainland?"

"That sounds good, the sooner we get home the better. Right?" Kairi said. "We're all rather in need of rest. Do you think a Potion would help, Your Highness?"

"I think – ahh! -- that would help some," Riku said, yelling a little in the middle; Mickey nodded in approval. "Sora, you got any?"

Rummaging through his massive pockets, still slightly frowning from the recent change in mood, Sora found a Hi-Potion and held it in the air. "I think this might be enough for now." He gave it to Riku, who uncapped the bottle and gulped the cool green liquid down, and felt its soothing numbness spread over his body.

"I have no idea why I didn't think of this sooner," he said, and attempted to get up; he was still very sore, and his back hurt regardless of the remedy. "I'm gonna – uggh – need a little help walking until we get home, I think."

"I'll help," Kairi offered. "Didn't you say you were using Sora earlier? Your shoulder must hurt some."

"My shoulder isn't sore!" Sora replied, but Kairi ignored him and knelt down to lift up Riku.

"It's called 'being nice,' Sora," she said, winking at him cheekily. "You deserve a rest."

"What she said," Riku added, smiling slightly. "Besides, all that we did with Xemnas? I'm exhausted too."

"Oh... well, thanks," Sora said, flushing slightly and smiling. Mickey and the rest of them smiled too, relieved at the break in atmosphere.

She smiled. "Don't mention it," she said, before a slightly horrified look came on her face. "Oh," she said.

"'Oh,'? What's going on?" Sora asked. "Something the matter?"

"...I forgot to look for a boat," she said, biting her lip. "There's no way off!"

"Aww, come _on_!" Sora said, dropping his arms and groaning along with Donald . "That can't be true!"

"Talk about – ughh – bad luck," Riku said. "First we can't get home, then we _can _go home, then we can't get off the island to get _really_ home."

"Pardon me, fellas, but I think I have a solution," Mickey said, smiling; he approached the shore and faced the mainland, and clapped his hands together. "Y'might wanna step back a bit."

"What're y'gonna do, Your Majesty?" Goofy asked, and Mickey gave an almost rebellious grin.

"Wait and see," he said, and raised his arms with a sudden movement.

The waters immediately began to part, rising high in the air and falling to the side, clearing a straight line through the sand, which dried and formed a traversable path for them. Sora's jaw fell wide open, as did Riku's and Kairi's; Donald and Goofy could hardly believe their eyes, either.

"Woah, where did you learn how to do _that_?" Sora asked, and Mickey smiled, looking back at them.

"Just a little somethin' I learned from Yen Sid," he replied. "C'mon, Riku, we should get you home."

"That was _awesome,_" Sora said, and Riku sighed a little with a chuckle as Mickey led the way. He and Kairi and Sora followed behind, with Donald and Goofy bringing up the rear. The sound of the sea churned softly around them, before Mickey attempted to cheer them up a little with conversation.

"Excited to be home, you two?" he asked, and Sora smiled a bit hesitantly.

"Yeah, well, I'm gonna have a wicked punishment coming my way, I think," he said. "I mean, I was gone for how long? Almost two years!"

"A year and a half," Kairi noted. "It's only October; we left last June, remember?" Sora remembered.

"I bet your parents'll be so happy to see _you_ again, Sora," Mickey said.

Kairi looked at Mickey in a somewhat strained fashion. "Your Majesty..."

"No... Kairi, it's okay," Sora said. "Your Highness, I don't live with my parents."

"What?" Donald said. "You didn't tell us that!"

"I don't think th'subject ever came up, Donald," Goofy said. "Where're your parents, Sora?"

Sora shrugged. "You know as well as me, I suppose," he said. "My aunt – I live with her, you know – she said that they just... disappeared when I was too little to remember anything, and she had to raise me."

"Well gosh, Sora, that's awful," Mickey said softly. Kairi and Riku were silent.

"No! It's not that bad," Sora said, smiling with his usual optimism. "My aunt's totally like a mom to me, I love her to death. She's the best!"

"A-hyuk! Well, Sora, that's wonderful t'hear," Goofy said. "I'd like t'meet her! D'ya take after her at all?"

"I don't know so much about that," Sora said, laughing a little.

"Don't you ever wonder where your parents are, though?" Donald said.

"...sometimes," said Sora.

"Maybe they were taken by the Heartless!" Donald continued, and Sora did nothing for a while.

"Maybe they were. I don't know, really. Nobody does, and my aunt doesn't talk about what happened," he finally replied, reverting to a quiet mood again.

Riku and Kairi practically stiffened up in the silence; they both knew this was somewhat of a touchy subject for Sora. One incident in first grade involving them discussing families in class had him bursting into tears because he didn't have a mother or father like everyone else. True, it had been a long time since then, but Sora always seemed to try and avoid the subject of his family when making new friends.

"I doubt she knows anything, really. But hey! What matters is that I'm cared-for, right?" Sora continued, and Kairi and Riku hoped that the subject would remain changed.

"That's right," Mickey said, sensing the tension. Riku and Kairi breathed a subconscious sigh of relief as, "Riku, I hope you have a full set of parents," he added with a chuckle.

"Oh, I sure do, Your Highness," Riku said, mustering a smile. "Though... man, I'm gonna be in some deep trouble with my mom. She's seriously gonna kill me, I think."

"Riku, she will _not_," Kairi said, nudging him a little with her arm.

"Yeah, Riku, c'mon," Sora added, looking over his shoulder at them.

"Ohh, believe me. I think she actually will this time," he said, stiffening up a little in fear. "This isn't, like, stealing an ice cream bar from the store. This is... we were gone for such a long time, and my mom isn't one to forgive easily. At least your aunt forgot about you for a whole year, Sora; you're gonna get off easy."

"Hey, stop it!" Sora replied. "Riku, your mom is _not_ gonna kill you."

"Yeah she will," Riku said, and Mickey was rather disturbed to see that Riku's tone wasn't one of sarcasm or light-hearted joking. "She's seriously gonna take that spear off the wall in the living room and cut my head off with it, like she said she'd do when I was little..."

"Calm down, man," said Sora, and Riku became very interested in the sand as he limped along. "How about you, Kairi? You've got it easy; you were only gone a few days, at the most."

"Yeah, that's true," Kairi replied. "I'm still probably in for some major trouble," she added with a slight laugh. "No big deal, though. Oh gosh, wait until you see how tall Wakka is now... you should start working on paraphrasing, they're going to want to know _everything_. You too, Riku, unless... you don't want to talk about it."

Riku was quiet for a good long while, and Kairi bit her lip. "...sorry, I mean, if you really don't want to talk, I understa―" she began.

"It's okay, no need to apologize," said Riku, and smiled, finally looking up. "I'll just shave off some of the details. No need to worry or anything. How long until – ow! -- we get to the mainland?"

"Dunno, doesn't look like much further," Sora replied, pointing to the shoreline in the distance. They walked in silence for the rest of the way, but everyone seemed content not to say anything.

Once they had reached true land, Mickey turned around and placed the water back where it belonged with a gentle sweep of his hands, and smiled. "Well, who lives closest to shore?"

"Riku," Sora and Kairi replied at the same time, and Riku groaned again.

"My mom's gonna kill me," he said again, and Kairi nudged him gently.

"Stop that, Riku, she'll be glad to see you," she said. "It's down the street and by the shore, Your Majesty."

"Can't miss it," Sora added with a laugh. "Your parents are filthy rich, Riku, you got one of the biggest houses on the island!"

"Shut _up_," Riku replied, nearly turning red, and Mickey's eyes widened a little in surprise, as did Donald's.

"Rich?" said the duck. "You never said you were rich."

"I don't think I ever got a real opportunity to talk to_ you_," Riku said, wincing a bit near the end of the sentence.

"Still, _I_ haven't heard anything like that," Mickey added.

"I suppose personal information just... doesn't seem as important when you're out savin' the worlds, huh?" Riku said, and Sora and Mickey both laughed, although a little half-heartedly.

"I suppose you're right," said Mickey softly, as they continued down a road near the beach, until Kairi stopped in front of a beautiful white building, dark ivy trailing over its face. The lights were on inside, and Riku immediately grew rather hesitant to come closer.

"Riku, I'll go knock on the door," Sora offered, and Riku nodded, gulping as Kairi backed away a little. With a few light raps, Sora made his presence known, and a male voice from behind sounded.

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Gosh, who could this be at this hour?" it said, and Riku sighed.

"Thank goodness, it's my dad," he said softly, as a slightly-built and none-too-handsome man with glasses came to the door.

"Yes― Sora! Holy― Sora! Is that really you?" he said, nearly jumping back a foot after seeing who was at the door.

"It's me, Mister Thatch," Sora said, smiling. "How are you?"

"Oh me? I'm fine, I'm great, I'm... where in the world have you been? Why aren't you home, I mean―" he said, the words nearly melding together in his excitement. "My goodness, you've gotten tall."

Sora couldn't help but laugh; Riku's dad was always pretty funny when he got nervous or excited, and Sora always found it rather laughable, even though this wasn't necessarily the right time to be laughing. "It's good to be home," he said simply.

"Oh yes, I bet it is, really. Gosh, where have you bee―" he said, before stopping himself. "Say, Sora, you... didn't happen to find anyone else while you were... out wherever you were?" he asked.

"Actually, he did," Riku said, freeing himself from Kairi and gingerly moving forward. "Hi, Dad."

Riku's father was silent for several moments, having to slightly look up in order to see his son's face properly. He muttered something softly under his breath, before swallowing and adjusting his glasses.

Then, he began to get very excited.

"Holy _cats, Riku_! Riku, you're home! You're home! Oh gosh, oh goodness, get inside! Get inside, let me see you! Oh wait until your _mother_ sees you, she's going to... well she's not going to do anything _bad,_but _you're home, you're home!_"

Ushering Riku inside, Sora and the rest followed as he plopped onto the couch, still in quite a bit of pain that wasn't helped by his recent unassisted walking. Riku's father began yelling to someone in the kitchen in a strange, incomprehensible language, receiving a feminine reply that probably belonged to Riku's mother. The words seemed somewhat familiar to Mickey; he had heard them, once, when he was a younger mouse... but where?

"What are they saying?" he asked Sora, as the speech continued, and the boy shrugged.

"Heck if I know," he replied. "Riku's parents are from the other side of the world, now that I think about it."

"Another island," Riku added, eying the kitchen uneasily. "They speak another language there, I... think."

"Really," Mickey said, listening in once again as a woman with a knife entered the room.

Instantly, it became apparent where Riku got his good looks from.

His mother had beautiful, snowy-white hair that hung somewhere near her waist, and large blue eyes that were a direct contrast to her tanned skin. Her lovely face, however, contorted into one of seriousness as soon as she saw her son on the couch, with the most frightened expression Sora had ever seen on his face.

"Rikunamoen. Thaddeus. Thatch," she said, her voice soft and low.

Whenever Riku's mother used his full name, it always meant that he was in trouble.

"...Hi, Mom," he said, his voice hardly more than a peep.

The next thing they knew, she was flinging herself at him, knife still in hand, screaming in the strange language that they had been hearing for the past few minutes.

Riku covered his head and cowered at the far end of the couch, and Sora jumped in front of him, just in case something were to happen. He and Kairi were shocked; Riku's mother was strict and sometimes harsh, but this was over the top!

His father managed to stop her and took the knife from her hand as she continued to yell at Riku in their strange language. Riku began to speak back in the same tongue, as if trying to defend himself, and everyone else present began to feel extremely uncomfortable. Sora didn't budge from where he stood, even though the knife was now safely in Riku's father's hand.

"Umm... should w'leave?" Goofy said, scratching the back of his head. "I hope we're not intrudin' on anything."

The argument stopped immediately at his words, and Riku's mother looked at them all, suddenly calmed, her mouth hanging slightly open.

"Who are these people?" she asked, her eyes darting from Donald to Goofy to Mickey and back.

"Missus, uh, Thatch, was it?" Mickey said, attempting to be as polite as possible. "I'm King Mickey Mouse, I helped your son get home in one piece!"

"Did you, now?" she said, glancing briefly at Riku, whose hand still covered his head, before returning to them. "Then I believe... I must thank you." Sora and Kairi breathed a sigh of relief, and Mickey almost felt that he did one as well.

"Really sorry for my wife's behavior, but... wow, you're a king?" said Riku's father, adjusting his glasses again and glancing at his wife disapprovingly.

"Yes; I'm from another world, y'see, me an' Donald an' Goofy too," said Mickey, then held his finger to his lips in mock secrecy. "It's supposed to be a little bit of a secret, but, whelp, the cat's outta the bag now, huh?"

"Of course," Riku's father replied, rather resolutely; the strange, almost certainty of something in his tone made Mickey pause for a moment, while Sora and Kairi couldn't help but feel slightly confused as well. Riku was still a little too scared to notice anything.

"I thank you for taking care of our son and bringing him home, but he still must be punished," Riku's mother said; her speech was oddly formal, and an outsider could guess that she wasn't speaking her first language. She glared at Riku. "Stop that foolish nonsense with your arms, Riku, and go to your room."

"What? Mom, I just―" Riku began, quickly dropping his arms from his head, but was silenced by his mother's palm being thrust towards him.

"Riku, my darling son," she said, not looking at him, but her tone much gentler, "I am overjoyed to see you safe and at home, but your absence is inexcusable. To your room. Now."

"Mom, I―" Riku started, but his father shook his head.

"Do as she says, Riku. I think we have a lot to talk about," he said softly. His eyes downcast, Riku got up and leaned against his father's shoulder almost immediately after. His mother noticed.

"What is wrong with him?" she demanded. "Was he hurt?"

"He saved me from, uh, some danger, Missus Thatch, and he's a little hurt," Sora explained ("A little?" Riku said under his breath). "He needs to rest, too, so, uh, don't be too hard on him. Kay?"

Riku's mother glared at Sora, and Sora gulped. He almost expected her to start blaming him for everything, but instead she simply said, "Sora, the way I treat my son is none of your business," she replied harshly. "I expect that your aunt will be none too pleased to see you also returning home so late."

Sora grimaced a bit, but managed to turn it into a sort of half-smile. "Yeah, but I'll be okay."

"Can Riku meet with us tomorrow? I'd like to give the King a tour around the island, and it wouldn't be the same without him there," Kairi said, trying to lighten the mood with a strained smile of her own, before looking at the mouse in question and adding, "that is, if you'd like to stay for a little while longer."

"Another day won't hurt, I think," Goofy said. "Minnie and Daisy'll understand. Whaddya say, Your Majesty?"

"I suppose," Mickey said, with a gentleness in his voice that was almost trying to dissuade himself from suspicion. There was something strange about Riku's parents, he was sure of that. Just what _exactly_ was strange, he _wasn't _sure, but he knew it was there.

"Great! I'll find you a hotel on my way home," she said delightedly. "Please, Missus Thatch?"

"We'll see," she replied coldly. "Come on, Riku, upstairs."

"What about your back?" said Sora, and Riku managed to crack a slight smile as his father led him up the stairs.

"I think I'll be fine after a bit of... sleep," he replied. "See you tomorrow, you guys."

"You sure?" Kairi asked. Riku nodded. "Bye, Riku," she replied, and addressed the remaining people in the room. "Sora, do you want me to come to your house with you?"

"Naw, I think I'll be fine," Sora said, and smiled with a wink. "You need to get a hotel for those three."

"Right," she said. "I'll come by in the morning to pick you up, okay?"

"Sounds good," said Sora, heading towards the door. "See you later, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, Your Majesty."

"Night, Sora," she said, and he was gone into the night. As Kairi and Riku's father led them out of the house, Mickey took one last look into the doorway, and saw Riku's mother glaring at them from the frame as she watched them leave.

She was positively terrifying; an almost tangible feeling that they were not wanted in her home seemed to loom around her, and although he wanted to leave as quickly as possible, there was something in her eyes that kept his gaze locked in hers.

"Your Majesty? This way," Kairi said.

"Oh, right. Sorry, Kairi," said Mickey, as he had almost wandered down another road. "Now, where are you taking us?"

"There's a nice hotel down the coast," she explained. "I'll have my father foot the bill."

"Gawrsh, will he be okay with that?" Goofy asked. "I don't want us t'be any trouble..."

"He'll be fine, really," Kairi said. "Excited to have such honorable guests, at the very least! I can come get you in the morning after you get some breakfast, then we'll go to

Sora's house and Riku's, and you can meet all my friends and see the sights!"

"Sounds wonderful," said Goofy. "Don't it, Donald?"

"I just wanna relax a little," Donald replied. "Enough with the Heartless, just... some good ol' R&R."

"I'll say!" Goofy said, and the odd-looking foursome continued on to the hotel.

Needless to say, the concierge was quite surprised to see Kairi that evening, but was even more surprised at the three outlandish "men" that were with her.

ºoº

Later that evening, as the trio prepared for sleep, Donald sighed.

"What a place," he said, looking out the sliding glass door that led onto a balcony, giving them a marvelous view of the beach. "It's so different from what we saw back at the End of the World, or whatever that was. Right, Goofy?" Goofy snored in reply from his bed, and Donald sighed a little. "Lummox," he said, before noticing that Mickey was behaving rather oddly, leaning over the edge of the balcony and looking out to sea. "Somethin' the matter, Your Highness?"

"Just got... things on my mind," Mickey replied. "Just things."

"What kinds-a things?" Donald asked, and Mickey shrugged.

"Riku's parents, I suppose. There's something about them that... I don't know, I can't put my finger on it," he said.

"You know them or somethin'?" Donald offered, but Mickey shrugged again.

"It's like... I know them from somewhere, but I've never met them, at the same time," Mickey said. "Gosh, I wish I knew."

"Maybe it's from bein' around Riku so much," Donald said, smiling a little, and the corners of Mickey's mouth barely turned. A little discouraged, he returned to the room. "Get some sleep, Your Highness. Don't you wanna see the island tomorrow?"

"I will, and I do," Mickey replied. "I'll be fine." As Donald was about to shut the door, the king suddenly spotted something; a blue glow, not too far down the beach. "Donald, look at that!" he said.

"What is it?" Donald said, rushing back to the balcony and looking out.

"See that light?" said Mickey.

"What light?"

"That blue light down the beach."

Donald strained his eyes, and indeed saw something. "What is that, a lighthouse?" he asked.

"No, it's... coming from one of the houses," Mickey said, squinting to see clearer; he could see a window it came from, a second-story one, in a white house with ivy...

"That's Riku's house," he declared softly, and Donald peered closer to find it was true.

"Really? Looks like he sleeps with a night light, then," he said, chuckling a little. "Isn't that somethin'!" Seeing Mickey's strange expression, he continued and began to walk away. "Don't worry about it, Your Majesty. Get some sleep."

Leaving and closing the door, Donald went to sleep on the couch while Mickey watched the glow until it disappeared mere moments later, the strange familiar feeling refusing to leave him alone.

Strange words, and blue lights, and people with hair like starlight, and lessons that had been learned and forgotten a long, long time ago.

What could it be?


	2. Supposed to be Somewhere Else

Chapter 2

_Sometimes, I feel like I really don't belong here. _

_Like I'm supposed to be... someplace else. _

-- Hercules; Demi-God and Hero; Olympus Coliseum

"Mr. Thatch? Mr. Thatch...? Mr. Thatch! Please, wake up!"

Riku's head quickly jerked off his arms as he snapped to consciousness, and looked up to see his teacher looming above him. His face turned red.

"Mr. Thatch, that's the third time this week you've fallen asleep in my class," Ms. Banks said, shaking her head. A few students nervously twittered and laughed. "If you don't mind me saying, I think you should get to bed earlier."

"But I went to bed..." Riku said, and found himself yawning, "...at eight last night."

"Of course, Mr. Thatch," Ms. Banks said, nodding in a skeptical manner that was seemingly perfected. "I'd recommend that you spend less time staying up, and more time getting some sleep. Or studying, to make up for the amount of time you waste in my class _sleeping_."

Riku frowned. "But I really did go to bed then..." he said, and found himself yawning again. Nobody laughed.

"Mr. Thatch, I expect a certain amount of concentration in my class," Ms. Banks said, "and falling asleep is not tolerated at all." She began walking towards the blackboard. "If this continues to be a problem, I'm going to have to contact your parents aga-"

Riku had already put his head back down on his arms, his eyes closed. "Mr. Thatch!" Ms. Banks said harshly, and Riku snapped awake again.

"What, what?" he said, his eyes slightly crossed and disoriented.

"Can you not even try to stay awake?" she said. A hand raised, and her eyes darted to the student owning it. "Yes, Ms. Baker?"

"Ms. Banks," Kairi said hesitantly, lowering her hand, "I honestly don't think Riku's feeling well. Can I take him to the nurse's office?"

Ms. Banks' eyes flitted to Riku's desk, and found his head nestled in his arms again. She sighed. "I'll write you a pass," she said, and went to her desk to write one out. Kairi tucked her school bag under her arm and tapped Riku, who sat next to her, on the shoulder.

"Come on, we're going to the nurse's office," she said.

"I'm fine, Kairi..." Riku replied drowsily. "I'm fine, I don't need to..."

Before he could finish, Kairi had him propped up on her shoulder, and was trekking to Ms. Banks' desk to retrieve the slip.

"Be back in class soon, Ms. Baker," Ms. Banks said, and with a nod, Kairi left the classroom.

The nurse's office was rather far away, and Riku was walking very sluggishly, so Kairi had a lot of time to herself to think of what had happened in the past few weeks.

She had already forgotten how long it had been since she and the boys had returned home. It seemed like yesterday that she and Sora had shown Mickey and the others around the island―Riku was still grounded. Finding that they were lacking a ship, he summoned his friend Genie and had them returned home.

The day afterward, they had already returned to school and normalcy.

Much to Sora and Riku's horror and embarrassment, their adventures meant that they'd have to be held back a grade. Kairi was relieved to find that Riku had been placed in her class, but Sora found himself only in the company of Tidus and Selphie. It was better than nothing, they all agreed, but Sora was still rather angry at the decision.

Things went on as usual for a while. It was almost surreal, having things so calm. Kairi almost expected something wrong to happen at any moment.

That "something wrong" turned out to be Riku.

At least, something that was happening to Riku. His back healed quickly, but he began coming to school looking tireder and tireder, falling asleep during lunch, and later in class. He claimed it wasn't a problem, but Kairi couldn't help but feel extremely worried for him. He was probably sick, and not doing a thing about it. She tried to get him to go to a doctor, but days passed, and he didn't.

They reached the office, and Kairi handed the nurse the small slip of paper that Ms. Banks had written out for them. "Falling asleep again?" she said, and Kairi nodded. "Oh dear. Well, you know what to do."

Kairi set him down on one of the cots, where he sat hunched over, his hair in his face. "I told you, Kairi, I'm..." He yawned before he could finish.

"In need of a nap," Kairi said firmly, patting him on the shoulder. "Honestly, Riku, you need to get more sleep."

"But I am," Riku said, frowning. "I got... ten hours of sleep last night. I did."

"I'm sure you did," Kairi said, attempting to sound a little comforting―how was she to know how much sleep Riku really got each night? She was concerned, but not completely obsessed. "Just, please. Take a nap, but come back for lunch."

"Kairi..." Riku began.

"Go _on_," Kairi said. She smiled. "I'll even get your homework for you. Just get some _sleep_."

"Okay," Riku said, mustering a small laugh, and with a yawn, he lay down.

He didn't come back for lunch.

In fact, he didn't even wake up until the final bell of the day, and Kairi had to retrieve him.

After she had put his homework in his bag and walked him back to his house, she met Sora in the town square, on her way to her own house. He was sitting on the fountain in the center of it, reading a comic book.

"Oh, hey, Kairi!" he said, waving at her and closing it once he saw her coming. "Where've you been? I didn't see you after school today."

"I was bringing Riku home," she said. She sat on the fountain and dropped her bag on the cobblestones. "He fell asleep in class again today."

"What, again?"said Sora, and laughed a little after Kairi nodded. "Man, he needs to stop staying up so late!"

"I don't see what's so funny," Kairi said, looking a little cross. "I think he's sick."

"Man, not this again," said Sora casually. Kairi frowned a little more, and he noticed. "What, are you serious? Kairi, lighten up a little! If Riku was sick, he'd stay home from school."

"Which he isn't," she said. "I think that's what he needs to do. And he _isn't._"

"Uh-huh," Sora said, sounding not entirely interested. "I still say he's just staying up too late. Heck, I need to go to bed earlier..."

"Sora, he's sick," Kairi repeated, looking slightly distressed. "I mean, seriously. Riku's never fallen asleep in class. Never! Not even during naptime in kindergarten! Isn't that just the slightest bit odd?"

"Maybe he's going through a phase," Sora replied. "Heck, I remember when I did that. It was like... third grade, I think, and I'd just stay up and play with my toys, and be totally tired when I got to school the next day! Do you remember that?"

Kairi nearly growled at him. Ever since Riku began acting strangely, Sora remained... in such denial! It had been at least two weeks, and his attitude hadn't changed at all. It was a little annoying at first, but after such a long time, and no change? It was starting to get on her nerves. Really get on her nerves.

"Hey, what's with that face?" Sora said, snapping her out of your thoughts. "What's bothering you?"

That was it.

"What is with you?!" she said. "Yes, there's something bothering me!"

"Well, what is it?" Sora said, his face seriously concerned. "Anything I can help with?"

"Stop... stop being so ignorant!" Kairi said, grabbing her bag and stomping off. Sora followed quickly behind.

"Hey! Hey, where are you going?" he said. "Kairi, did I do something wrong?"

"You're doing a lot of things wrong," she said sourly.

"What did I do?!" he said, sounding positively worried. Kairi stopped and turned around.

"Stop it! Just... stop it!" she yelled. "Stop being so ignorant, okay? There's something wrong with Riku! Why can't you see it? You know, really, I expected―what's so funny?"

Sora had begun laughing. "This is about Riku?" he said. "Wow, Kairi. Wow."

She glared. "What do you mean?"

"You're getting awfully touchy about him," Sora continued. "I don't see what there is to worry about."

"That's exactly what I'm talking about!" Kairi said, and began stomping off again. "Just forget about it."

"Hey, wait!" said Sora, running to catch up with her again, and stopping her by standing in her way. "What are you saying? That I should be worrying about Riku more?"

"Basically, yeah," Kairi said tartly.

Sora made a very confused face, then began laughing again. "Wow! Jeez, Kairi. You sure have an active imagination!"

"Imagination?" Kairi said, this time looking confused. "What are you _talking_ about?"

"There's nothing wrong with Riku! Okay? Why can't you just leave him alone?" said Sora, sounding slightly defensive. "I know that... well, we both missed him a lot, I guess, but there's no reason to overreact like this!"

"What in the world... are you serious?" said Kairi.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Sora replied. Did he look... a little mad? "Like I said, if Riku really _were _sick, he'd be staying home! He can take care of himself, you know. So... so just leave him alone! You're overreacting."

Kairi stood there in silence for a moment. "I can't believe you!" she said. "Are you serious?"

"Stop saying that!" Sora said.

With a glare, Kairi stomped past him. "Where are you going?" he called out after her.

"Shut up!" she replied, and headed down the road to her house.

Sora stood there in the street, feeling angry, and then... surprisingly helpless. He really wanted to apologize, even if Kairi was overreacting about everything.

Suddenly, there was a dry, familiar voice over his shoulder. "Way to go, you," it said.

It was Roxas' voice.

Sora wheeled around, half-expecting the blond-haired aspect of himself to be standing behind him, but there was nothing there but the buildings of the town.

ºoº

Kairi entered her home angrily, flinging off her shoes in the foyer and stomping up to her room. She didn't even respond when her mother greeted her from the kitchen, slamming the door to her bedroom almost immediately.

She sat on her bed, the afternoon sun flooding into her room from the window beside it, and held her knees, frowning and feeling intensely angry. Why did Sora have to be that way? He was a great guy, sure, but why was he so... naïve?

"You could have been a little nicer to him," somebody said. A female-sounding somebody, with a soft voice.

"Naminé?" Kairi said, looking around to see if the pale-haired girl was anywhere to be found, but there was nothing.

ºoº

Snow White ran, terrified, through the woods.

She could hardly believe what had happened just minutes before, with that... wicked girl in the red cloak, and the gigantic mirror that had... had...

She could hardly bring herself to think of it, and concentrated on running deep into the woods, away from the castle and the tragedy.

The girl was following her. Her cloak looked like a bloodstained animal, stalking through the wood and getting closer. Snow tried not to look at her, trying to run faster, faster than her.

Suddenly, there it was. The cottage. It was safety.

She forced the tiny door open and crawled in, shoving it closed behind her and sitting, panting, almost relieved. She'd be safe, if only for a little while.

"Oh, dear dear dear," a voice said. "You could have found a better hiding place than that."

The girl in the red cloak stood in front of her, her face obscured by the blood-colored hood. All that could be seen were her lips, round and red against her pale skin.

"Stop! Stop, leave me alone!" Snow cried, standing and pressing herself against the door. "What do you want with me?"

The girl tilted her head, and a pale-colored lock of hair fell out of shadow. "You know what I want," she said.

"No! I don't!" said Snow, and she bit her lip. Then she glared. "Why did you take them? Where are they?"

The girl's lips smiled. "They're right here," she said. Seemingly out of nowhere, she took out the enormous mirrored shield, and Snow winced. She remembered what it had done to the dwarfs, to her prince.

All of a sudden, she saw them. Their faces, sad and pale, reflected like ghosts in the shield. "Where are they?" she said. "Where did you take them?"

"Stop asking questions, you silly girl," the girl in the hood said. "I have no intention of telling you. I just want one thing from you. If you give it to me, maybe, then I'll release them for you."

"What do you want?" Snow said, and the girl began to get closer. She flattened herself against the door, her eyes full of fear.

The girl took off her hood, and revealed a face. A young face, framed by curly, blond hair, with round brown eyes.

Eyes just like Snow's.

"I want your heart," said the girl, and everything went white.

ºoº

Kairi slept restlessly, although her dream was somewhat pleasant.

She dreamed she was on the island―she hadn't been on there since she had returned home with Sora and Riku. There simply hadn't been enough time to play since they had come back.

She was standing on the shore, watching the clouds drift by―she was wearing the dress that she had left and come home in. Suddenly, something touched her shoe: a bottle. A letter was sealed within it by a cork. She took it, and saw printed on the rolled paper within a small, stylized mouse head: the King's seal.

Holding it tightly, she ran to the small mini-island that was connected to a bridge; where she, and Sora and Riku would sit and watch the sun set when they were younger.

Sora and Riku were there, dressed just as they were on the day they had come back. She knew it was definitely a dream, then, as Sora had put away the enchanted fairy garments soon after they returned, and he hadn't worn them since. "Sora, Riku!" she called, waving the bottle at them.

Sora got off the tree, and smiled at her as she caught her breath. "What is it, Kairi?" he said.

"Look," she said, showing him the bottle. Riku got off the tree as Sora's eyes widened, seeing the seal.

"The King?" he said, taking the bottle from her and quickly opening it to get at the letter within it.

She and Riku crowded around him to see what it said; Sora's face excited, Riku's face pleased, her face anxious-

And then she woke up.

She lay flat on her back for a while, and then sighed, before sitting up and squinting at the sky. It was still largely dark, with barely the slightest stripe of pink over the horizon hinting at a sunrise. She frowned, rubbing her eyes again. It was too early to go back to sleep, even though it was technically Saturday.

So, wearing nothing but her pajamas, she climbed out the window and walked down the path in her backyard to the beach.

There was nothing better to do, anyways, and the sea was always a bit of a calming place for her. She could always sneak back in her room before sunrise, and her father waking up for work.

She folded up her pale pink-and-yellow pants and walked with her feet in the surf for a while, the water rather cold from the lack of sun. The tide was high, anyways, and there wasn't much sand to find anyways.

If she walked long enough, she knew, she'd get to the small beach where she and the other kids docked their boats, and where the island was most definitely visible. The sky was pinker, maybe even slightly orange at the horizon.

Then, she saw Riku, standing on the shore in _his_ pajamas, looking somewhat winsome.

"Riku?" she said, and he turned to see her. His face, for once, didn't look tired at all.

"Oh! Morning, Kairi. I thought I'd find you here," he said, smiling.

"What are you doing up?" she said. "It can't be later than 5 in the morning."

"I could say the same for you, you know," he said, and nodded in her direction. "Nice pajamas."

She averted her eyes, somewhat embarrassed. "Thanks," she said. "Still, what are you doing up? I usually don't see you awake until much later." _Much_ later, she thought in her head, but didn't speak it.

"I had a weird dream," he replied, looking out to sea again. "I couldn't sleep, so I decided to just come down here and watch the waves until I got tired again, I guess."

"Couldn't sleep, huh?" Kairi said, standing next to him, neither of them looking at each other. "Me too. I had a dream about... oh, well, never mind."

Neither of them said anything for a while, until Kairi began to feel a little awkward, and felt that she needed to busy herself. She bent over and picked up a stone, and skipped it across the waves until it sank.

"Nice throw, there," Riku said. "Should I give it a try?"

"Don't see why not," Kairi said, smiling. "There's more rocks over by the grass, I think."

Riku nodded, and wandered into the grass, returning with a small handful of stones. "Here," he said, dropping a small pile of them into her palm. "My turn."

With a careful swing, he sent the stone across the water. It sank a little further away from where Kairi's had.

"Oh, nice one," Kairi said, placing a stone in her right hand and taking aim. The stone sailed towards the water, but ended up making a large splash and sinking where it had hit, instead of skimming across the surface. "Oh, great," she sighed, and chose another stone, sticking out her tongue as she tried again. The stone sank with an even larger splash, closer to the shore than the first. "Aw, man!"

"Wow, your aim's really off," Riku said, tilting his head as he looked at her. "Something bothering you?"

"No, I'm fine!" she said, somewhat angrily, fingering her last stone and wiggling her hand and wrist with it. However, throwing it produced no better results than the previous times, and she sighed again.

"Something _is_ bothering you," Riku said. He tossed the stones around in his palm a little, making little clacking noises against the waves. "What's going on?"

Kairi sighed again, and crossed her arms as she looked into the distance. "I had a fight with Sora yesterday," she admitted.

"You did?" said Riku, surprised. "When?"

"Right after I brought you home from school," she replied.

"Really? What was it about?"

Kairi grimaced; the first thing that came to mind was to say, "It was about you," but that just sounded... weird. She said, "He doesn't think you're sick." She almost regretted it, because Riku laughed.

"Kairi, I'm not sick," he said. "I've just been... more tired, lately. That's all."

"I still think you should see a doctor about it," she replied. "It's not normal, you know."

Riku sighed, laughing a little. "You don't need to worry about me, Kairi," he said.

"Yeah, but it's a little strange, Riku," she said, and looked at him for a second. He certainly _looked_ fine. Could it be that Sora was right, and that she really _was_ overreacting? A pang of uncertainty hit her in the stomach, and she looked at the sea again.

"Man, it sure looks nice out," said Riku. He tossed the remainder of the stones into the water with a large plop. "So, you gonna apologize to Sora tomorrow?"

"I guess I will," Kairi replied softly. "I _was_ kind of mean to him." Naminé's words, if they even _were_ Naminé's words, echoed in her mind.

"That's good," Riku said, smiling. "I bet he's gonna apologize first, though."

Kairi laughed in spite of herself. "Yeah." He really would do that. "Say, Riku," she said, "what did you dream about, anyways?"

"Don't know, really," Riku said, shrugging. "There was a whole lot of blue light, though. And I think there were people, somewhere, that were all waiting for me. They were all happy to see me. They _wanted _me to come and see them. Or something." He shrugged again, and sighed. "It woke me up, though. And I had nothing else to do, and I had a feeling you'd be here."

"Weird dream," Kairi laughed, and smiled at him. "Well, I'm glad I really was here," she said. "I kinda needed somebody to talk to. Maybe you were the right one."

He smiled back. "Yeah, maybe I was."

Kairi was beginning to feel very tired again, and yawned. "I think I'll head back to my house, now," she said. "Thanks for skipping stones with me, Riku."

Riku laughed. "Sure, any time! I'm going back home, too."

"See you later?"

"Yeah, see you later."

They parted ways, and returned to their respective beds.

Later that afternoon, a letter arrived for Kairi.

A letter from the King.

ºoº

Author's Note:

The chapter I posted before this was absolute crap, so I completely rewrote it and am posting this one instead. Hope you enjoyed it!


	3. Limitations

Chapter 3

_Well, um, there are a few limitations. _

_A few quid pro quos._

-- Genie; Wish-Granter and Owner of Semi-Phenomenal, Not-So-Cosmic Powers; Agrabah

The king's letter read as follows:

_Dear Everyone,_

_First off, I'd just like to let you know that I'm doing well; I got home with Donald and Goofy, and Minnie's very happy to see me back._

_That being said, I have some very urgent news._

_Is Kairi safe? Have any of you been attacked?_

_I'm asking, because it seems our work is not done. A Nobody by the name of The Mentor, it seems, is sending other Nobodies under him after people with strong hearts; namely, the Princesses of Heart. So, it's important to know that Kairi is safe._

_He also seems to be claiming worlds for himself. Already, Snow White and Aurora have lost their worlds, and I don't know if anyone else's have been lost._

_I've been informed by a woman named Miss Green (I don't know if it's her real name or not) of his actions; she says she doesn't quite know what exactly this Mentor's intentions are, but I can agree with her in saying that he's certainly a danger to the worlds, and needs to be stopped._

_I also know that Miss Green herself can be trusted, for now; she has the Seal of Yen Sid with her, and it's not something he gives away to just anyone. If she meets with you too, please find a way to let me know._

_Please find a way to contact me or visit me at Disney Castle. We have to come up with a way to deal with this Mentor, and like it or not, we have a duty to serve._

_Hoping you're all fine,_

_ºoº  
_

Sora, Riku, and Kairi stared at the letter on Saturday morning, all of them finishing reading it. The unexpected nature of the letter, and its surprising content had all but erased the conflict of the day before from their minds, and they stood together in silence.

Finally, someone spoke.

"Again?" Sora said, somewhat of a pout on his face. "Another Nobody? Why?"

"It wouldn't be hard to imagine somebody trying to take Xemnas' place," Riku said, rubbing his chin. "After all, wasn't he what kept most of the Nobodies organized? Together?"

"It _was _called an Organization..." Sora said. "If he was, then this Mentor guy probably jumped right in right away. Sounds like he's up to no good!" He made a fist. "I mean, Xemnas didn't try and go and take over worlds."

"He's taken, Snow White and Aurora?" Kairi said worriedly, looking at the paper―she had received it, after all, although Sora was holding it as she and Riku read over his shoulder. "I wonder if the King heard it from this Miss Green. Who do you think she is?"

"I don't know anybody by that name," Riku said.

"Yeah, me either," said Sora. "You either, Kairi?" Kairi shook her head. "How'd she know about this Mentor guy, anyways? Maybe she's from Snow White or Aurora's world?"

"It's a possibility," Riku said.

"I can guess she knows Yen Sid," Sora continued, "if she has his Seal, or whatever it is."

"What kind of a seal does a magician have, anyways?" Riku wondered aloud.

ºoº

The Seal of Yen Sid was, in actuality, a spell in a bottle. He made one for those he deemed worthy, and to receive one was a rare gift indeed.

If one opened the bottle, a butterfly made of smoke and light would appear, filing the room with color and creating an unmistakable calling-card and mark of alliance with the wizard.

Mickey had to force himself to keep his mouth closed when the strange young woman, green hair flying wildly behind her as if possessed with life, produced the seal in his garden.

She had arrived, unexpected and unannounced, there, in the manner of a Nobody: A portal of darkness suddenly appeared, and she had gracefully climbed out and looked around. Max, Junior Captain of the Guard, was quick to report to his father what was going on, and very quickly the girl was surrounded by countless brooms, armed with crossbows; Donald, and the king himself, Keyblade at hand.

She stood and did nothing, green robes swaying in some unseen wind. "Hey, you! Nobody!" Donald yelled at her. "What are you doing here?"

"I come to speak with you, peacefully!" she announced. "There is grave news I must share!"

"What sorts?" Donald continued, but Mickey touched him on the back to make him stop. They waited for the girl to answer.

"A great danger is threatening the worlds, and I must speak with you about it, Keybearer!" she said.

The girl suddenly appeared on the outdoor hallway, and the brooms all aimed at her; she was small, little taller than how tall Mickey remembered Kairi was.

"I do not wish to continue shouting, by the way, Your Majesty," she said softly. Her voice was as gentle as her eyes—also green. "I promise no harm to you."

"What if you try something tricky?" Donald said, eying her. "How do we know we can trust you?"

"I promise you," the girl said, clasping her hands around the Seal (which she had closed in the process of getting to the hallway), "I will not cause any harm to you, nor to anyone else here."

"And what if _we_ harm _you_?" Donald continued. The girl gave him a cold glance with her glass-green eyes.

"Then you shall have to deal with Mr. Violet."

"Who's Mr. Violet?" Mickey said, not necessarily wanting to know.

Another portal of darkness opened behind the girl, and out of it stepped a fearsome-looking man, dressed in a tattered black suit, with blood-red eyes. His hair, like his name, was a dusky purple.

"I am Mr. Violet," he said, in a deep, no-nonsense voice. "This girl is my charge."

"I see," Mickey said, trying his best not to look scared; there was a sort of presence behind this Mr. Violet that left him slightly terrified. Donald dropped his staff, decidedly less successful at hiding his fear.

"Mr. Violet, please," the girl said, putting a tiny hand on his arm. "We are guests here."

"I'm sorry, my lady," he said, and stepped back, but sounding decidedly unapologetic. The girl gave a subtle smile to Mickey.

"Your Majesty, might we please find some time to talk?" she asked. "I have much to share with you, and it's all very urgent."

Mickey gulped, and nodded. "Yes, of course."

"Have your magician and knight come with you, too," the girl continued, beginning to walk. Mickey could not see her feet. "They deserve to hear this, as well."

Mickey nodded towards them, and still carrying a great deal of suspicion, retreated with the mysterious girl in green to his study. Mr. Violet stood at its door once Mickey closed it.

"Might I sit?" the girl asked, and Mickey nodded. Finding an armchair, she pointed to it and had it placed in front of the king's desk by Mr. Violet, who returned to the door. "Tea?"

"Tea?" Mickey said, seating himself, and the girl nodded with wide eyes.

"Yes, tea," she said, and produced out of her giant green sleeves a teapot, cup, and saucer. They floated gently in the air as she took them out.

"No, thank you," Mickey said, slightly stiffly. The girl nodded, and poured herself a cup. She sipped.

"All right, then," she said. "I believe that, now, a proper introduction is now in order. You may call me Miss Green."

"Very fitting name," Goofy noted, and the girl sent him a slight smile. It _was_ fitting. Almost everything about her was green: Her hair, her eyes, the enormous, formless robe she wore, and her bauble-like glass earrings.

"Thank you," said Miss Green. "As you very well have noticed, I lack a heart."

"A Nobody, right?" Mickey said, and she nodded solemnly.

"Well, wait just a minute!" Donald said. "If you're a Nobody, but you look normal, how come you weren't in the Organization? Or are you in it right now?"

Miss Green gave him a blank glance. "You thought that..." She stared at the cup, giving an almost pathetic smile, "...fool, Xemnas, had control over every Nobody in all the worlds?" she said, almost bitterly. "He was only able to find alliance in 12 others, and the Lessers that they came from."

"Lessers?" Mickey and his subjects echoed.

"Dusks, Dragoons, Dancers," Miss Green listed on her finger. "Surely you've had experience enough with those?" They had. "All Nobodies begin as them, but some 'grow out of it' quicker than others."

"Grow out of?" Y'mean Nobodies grow up?" Goofy said, scratching his chin.

Miss Green nodded, and sipped at her tea. "Yes, in a way. It's a bit like a caterpillar metamorphosing into a butterfly, going from a Dusk to a Samurai, to a... ah, but we're getting off the subject." She let go of her teacup, where it floated almost serenely in the air beside her. "Another Nobody, with even more ambition than Xemnas, has made his presence very violently known, recently."

"Another Nobody?" said Donald.

"Yes," Miss Green nodded. "He goes by the name of The Mentor."

"The Mentor?" said Mickey. "Who is he?"

"Nobody knows who exactly he is, or, more importantly, who he _was_," Miss Green said. "All we know is that he's amassed a small, but sizable, group of followers, and they're beginning to claim worlds as their own."

"As their own?! That meaning..." Goofy said, almost scared, "...they're taking over worlds?!"

"Only a few, as of yet, but he's showing no signs of stopping," Miss Green said gravely. "Already, the Wishing Kingdom has been completely invaded and overthrown."

"What's the Wishing Kingdom?" Donald said.

"Snow White's home world," Mickey said, his voice low. "Is Snow...?"

"Captured, as far as I know," said Miss Green. "I know nothing else, but that the Dreaming Kingdom may very well be taken next."

"Which is-" Goofy began, but was answered by Mickey's interruption.

"Aurora's home world?!"

"It very well may be," said Miss Green, sadly. "I might be wrong, but he may be targeting the worlds of the Princesses of Heart. I-"

"Before you continue," Mickey said darkly, slamming his hand on the desk, "how do you know all of this? How do we know you're not working for _him_? For that Mentor?"

"She would never-!" Mr. Violet began, but was silenced immediately by a slight wave of Miss Green's hand.

"I have the trust of the honorable Yen Sid," Miss Green said patiently, producing the seal from her sleeves again, and returning it. "He is helping me and my two assistants in finding information on The Mentor, so we can see what exactly he wishes to accomplish, and how we can stop him."

"Assistants? Like your Mr. Violet, over there?" Goofy said, pointing to the man in question.

"Yes," said Miss Green. "Their names are Miss Red and Miss Blue, and I put my utmost trust in them. You very well may meet them later, but now is not the time."

"Interesting names," Donald said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Mickey had knit his fingers together.

"All right," he said. "Miss Green, for now, I'm going to have to trust you, and ask you what you know about this Mentor, and how it relates to us three."

"I will tell you all I can, Your Majesty," Miss Green said, closing her eyes and nodding her head in a sort of bow. "As for why I came to you with this news, it's simple: You are one of the four Keybearers. It's your duty to keep the worlds in balance, and what The Mentor is doing is upsetting that balance."

"So I have to defeat him?" Mickey said.

"Not alone," Miss Green said, smiling slightly, "but with the aid of many, as you have always done. Mentor must be defeated, however. Although Yen Sid, Miss Red, Miss Blue and I don't know why exactly he wishes to take over these worlds, he's certainly harming them, and this cannot continue."

"I see," Mickey said, and looked up from his fingers. "So, what am I up against, exactly?" Donald and Goofy both gave determined glances in his direction. "Oh, sorry." He smiled slightly at them. "What are _we_ up against?"

"The Mentor, and his assistants. He calls them his Girls, despite the fact that one of them is male." Miss Green said, beginning to stow the china back into her vast sleeves. "Not counting the Mentor himself, there are six female Nobodies and that one male. Those seven, in turn, have various underlings, but I know very little of them."

"Well, it's less than the 12 of the Organization," Goofy said, sounding vaguely cheerful. "Roxas didn't count, did he?"

"Less than 12, yes," Miss Green said, looking at him with her green-glass eyes, "but much more dangerous."

Goofy gulped. "Do y'know anything 'bout these... underlings've theirs?"

"Very little," said Miss Green, "but I will tell you what I can."

And so, she began.

"The Mentor's right-hand man is the one who calls herself Breath. She's the one responsible for invading the Wishing Kingdom," she explained. "Then there's the man, Hua Ping. He has a female assistant of some kind whose name we don't quite know yet. After him is Hourling, who has three male Lessers under her command that she calls her Boys. I can't quite remember their names..."

"Loz, Kadaj, Yazoo," Mr. Violet said, bitterly, from the door.

"That's it," said Miss Green. "I've had experience enough with them, and they're astoundingly... pesky." She frowned, and went on. "The final four I know the least about. Their names, at least, are Weaver, Hefsa, Lady, and Her Majesty. Exceedingly odd, I know, but Xemnas had those anagrams."

"Mentor, Breath, Hua Ping, Weaver, Hefsa, Lady, and Her Majesty," Mickey said, counting them on on his fingers. Eight. Five less than what Xemnas had. "And they're currently taking over worlds?" he said, for clarification. Miss Green nodded. "Well, I suppose Sora's going to have to hear about this."

"The poor kid," Goofy added. "He was so happy to finally be home. Now we gotta go off an' tell him to save the worlds again?"

"It's the tragedy of the Keybearers," Mr. Violet said. Miss Green gave him a soft, slightly pained glance, and he diverted his gaze to his feet.

"The safety of the worlds rests in their hands; a little bit of peace and quiet in their lives is a small price to pay, I suppose," she continued. "It's very important that Sora learns of what's going on as soon as possible."

"Are you going to visit him next?" Mickey said. Miss Green half-heartedly shrugged.

"Perhaps. But, I would think he'll trust me more if he receives a message from you first. After all," she added, "I doubt he knows that Yen Sid even has a seal, much less what it means." She smiled a little. "Do you understand?"

Mickey nodded, slightly. "I just can't believe that we'll have to do this all over again."

"Yeah," Donald agreed. "I thought the worlds were safe!"

"The worlds are never safe," Mr. Violet said, in his grave tone. "So long as there is darkness, there will always be Nobodies and Heartless."

"Mr. Violet, please," Miss Green said. "Your Majesty, I must leave you now, but no doubt we'll meet again. May spring last forever here, when all's been said and done."

She nodded at him with a smile, bowed a little, and was gone with Mr. Violet as suddenly as she had come.

Mickey was left in shock.

Her farewell was one he had heard only once before, and it had been said by Ansem the Wise.

He had very little time to think on it, however, as Aurora's three guardian fairies suddenly appeared, frantic and wailing that their beloved princess had been stolen.

The Mentor had his second world.

ºoº

"I don't know. At any rate," Sora said, "we need to be able to reach the King, and I doubt we could just build a gummi ship here and take off."

"And I can't use darkness anymore," Riku said, flexing his hand. "So, I can't just open a portal like I used to."

"Why don't you call Genie again?" Kairi said, after thinking for a short while. "Isn't that what you did to send the King home?"

Sora's face lit up. "You're right, we should try that!" he said. "We could go right now, and be back by Sunday! Don't you think? I mean, we've missed so much school, but it's the weekend. We can go visit the King, and see just how serious this matter is."

"I doubt it'll take just a weekend to fix," Riku said, somewhat morosely. "I mean, if this guy is as dangerous as the King says he is..."

"Just to talk to him! Okay?" said Sora, frowning a little. "If some Nobody is taking over worlds and stuff, it'll take a lot more time than a weekend to stop him. I know _that_ much, Riku."

"If you say so," Riku said, rolling his eyes a little.

"Well, why don't we ask Genie if he can take us now?" Kairi suggested, sensing slight conflict. "It's still pretty early, and it shouldn't take more than a few hours to meet with the King and come up with a plan."

Sora grinned. "Sounds great! Lets head to the bluffs, though, so we won't be spotted."

The two of them nodded; it would be best to slip away inconspicuously, after all.

The winds were strong, but pleasant, at the bluffs on the western coast of the island, and Sora summoned his Keyblade to call on Genie. The magical being appeared in clouds of pink-blue smoke, and a worried expression.

"Huh, Sora? What is it?" he said.

"Genie, we got a favor to ask of you," Sora said, putting his hands on his hips and smiling as he looked up, but his face fell as he saw how frantic Genie looked. "Uh, is something wrong?"

"Oh, yeah," Genie said, wringing his hands. "The whole palace is in a bit of a tizzy right now, so I'm on a very tight schedule. You're lucky there's nothing going on right now. What is it?"

"We, uh, need you to help us visit the King," Kairi said. "Do you think you could bring us to his palace?"

"Oh, gosh, all three of you?" Genie said. He scratched the back of his head. "Oh, I dunno."

"Huh? But how come you could bring the King home?" Sora said. Genie gave a slightly unpleasant grimace.

"I told you, the palace is in a bit of an uproar," he said. "I'm really busy, and I don't know if I could muster up the time to get you guys there!"

"What happened?" Riku asked.

"Well... Aladdin and Jasmine were gonna get married," Genie said, scratching the back of his head again, "when we got some party crashers."

"They're getting married?" Sora said, before realizing, "Wait, party crashers?"

"Forty thieves, to be exact," Genie said. "They completely trashed the place yesterday, and I had to work overtime to throw out even a _handful _of those guys. I'm not all-powerful, after all. Semi-phenomenal cosmic powers, and all that."

"Oh, no!" said Kairi, despite the fact that she knew Aladdin only through words. "So what happened, are they all right?"

"Oh, they're fine," Genie said, smiling at her. "The palace, though? Not so much. And Al's absolutely set on finding out what those thieves wanted with us. One of them tried to kidnap Jasmine."

"What?!" the three said.

"Yeah, nearly carried her off," Genie continued. "It was really scary, but I managed to pry her away. It was a _woman_, of all things, amongst all these ugly guys. She was really rather pretty, but she stung me!"

"Stung you?" Sora said.

"She had a whip with her," Genie said. "Got me right here!" He pointed to his arm, where not a mark was to be seen. "Besides, it took me ages to find her. I could almost not see her! She almost sneaked off with Jasmine, right under my nose! But I got her. Sorta. She warped away somehow."

"Do you think...?" Riku said. "Genie, did you catch her name?"

"What? No," said Genie. "Why?"

"What's going on, Riku?" Sora said.

"Do you think she's one of Mentor's Girls?" Riku asked Sora and Kairi, and their eyes widened.

"Oh!" Kairi said. "It might have been!"

"Genie," Sora said urgently, "you need to make sure Jasmine stays safe-"

Genie suddenly shot upward, as if stung by a bee, and flew back down. "I'm sorry, I have to go!" he interrupted. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you, kids!"

With that, he was gone.

"Well, what do we do now?" said Kairi, after a while. "I suppose we're stuck here, for the time being."

"Gre-eat," Sora groaned, and put his Keyblade away. "I guess we can't get to the palace today, after all."

Kairi knitted her eyebrows, noticing a strange look in Riku's eyes as he stared out to sea. "Riku, is something the matter?"

"Oh, nothing," he said. "Well, I say that we wait until something happens to help us," he said. "I have a feeling that something will. I mean, come on." He gave a somewhat arrogant grin. "We're the Keybladers, right? The worlds'll find a way to let us help them."

"If that's what you think," Sora said, smiling a little. "So, now that we can't do _that,_ obviously, what should we do now, today?"

"Dunno," Riku said, and they began to discuss.

ºoº

The next morning, Sora was awoken by his aunt's violent shaking.

"Sora! Sora, wake up! You have to see this!" she said enthusiastically, grabbing him by the shoulders.

Sora blinked, confused. "Ahumn?" he said.

"Get your shoes on and come on the hill, you can see it from here!" she continued, flying out of his room. "Quickly!"

Yawning, Sora slipped on his sandals and plodded down the stairs, where he followed his aunt to the large hill in their backyard. The hill looked out onto Fate Harbor, which was on the eastern side of the island, and the location of the docks and fish market.

There were strange ships in the harbor. Ships with enormous, white sails, like the ones he had sailed upon in Port Royal.

There were also ships that seemed to float above the water, with glittering, golden sails shaped like fans. Ships he had never seen before.

The harbor was filled with ships from other worlds.


End file.
